Current-controlling device.



A. J .-G LINE.

CURRENT CONTROLLING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JU -Y8, 1909.

Patented May 9, 1911.

UNITED strarns PATENT OFFICE.

LLAN .TficLmE, or CHICAGO, nun 01s.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALLAN J. Crime, a citizenof the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, county ofCook, and State ,of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Current-Controlling Devices, of which the following is aspecification. I

My invention ertains to improvements in current contro ling devices of ageneral type which may be designated as distancecontrol devices.

In many cases 1t is desirable to control a central source of power froma distant point or from any of many distant points. In such a conditionit-is customary to provide the power devices with controlling devices,

whicheontrollin devices themselves are operated or be designated controlcircuits since their function is to transmit current to the cen trallysituated controlling device to cause that device to exercise upon themotor the control desired.

My improved .device comprises a seriesof contact plates,

a movable brush holder carrying brushes for making contact with saidcontact plates, a pair of opposingly placed solenoids for moving T saidbrush holder in o positedirections, an armature or plunger is connectedto the brush holder, and a restraining device for the plunger, thedevice thus described being associated with auxiliary switching devlcesand circuit connections.

In the drawings, Fi ure 1 shows a complete' system, 'Fig. 2 s owswznodification thereof, 'Fi 3 shows the restraining de vice, andoil-normal switch,

Referring first to Fig. 1, I show a motor 1 which may be driven byelectric current received-from main power w res 2 and 2'.

Control buttons or control switches 3, 4 and 5,are adapted tobe'placed'in any location and at any desired distances either from'-the-motor .1 or from the current controlling device which may bedesignated as a whole 6. Any or all of these control keys may bedliplicated as manytimes as desired. Auxiliary electro-magneticswitching devices 7 and 8 are shown in connection with the controller 6.V

ted two co'zitact'barsfl a'nd'lO and two rows a v Specification ofLetters Patent. I Application filed. July 8, 1909. Serial No. 506,515.

contro led by circuits which may or the solenoids which plunger.

1g 1 shows a modified form of .IUpon'a nonconducting' base 6'are'mouritcrmREnr-oommoLmNG Davies.

l a tented May 9, 1911.

.of contact plates 11 and 12; also two solenoids 13 and 1 1. Thesolenoids have a common plunger 15 which carries the brush holder 16,the brush holder in turn carrying brushes 17 18, 19, 20. Brushes 17 and18 are connected together electrically, and brushes 19 are connectedtogether electrically. \Vhen the plunger 15 is attracted by solenoid 13,it carries the brush holder 10 to the left connecting 9 and 10 andconnecting succcssively oppositely situated contactplates of the series11 and 12. The series of plates 11 are connected by resistances 21 andthe series of, plates 12 are connected by resistances 22. The solenoids13 and 14 are shunted by noninductivc shunts 13 and 14: to reduce.sparking in the controlling circuits.

The controlling circuits are as follows:

For starting or increasing thespeed of the a motor 1, the controllingcircuit extends from power wire 2 through switch blade 23, conductor24:, conductor 25,-kcy 3, solenoid 13, conductor 26, switch blade 27 topower conductor 2; when the key 3 is closed, solenoid.

13 is energized attracting its end of plunger 15 and moving the brushestoward the left over 9, 10, 11 and 12. For decreasing the speed of themotorthe control circ it extends. from power conductor 2 filiroughswitch blade 23, conductor 24, conductor 28, platefi), brush 19, whichis in connection with and 20 plate 9 because the motor 1 is assumed tobe running when the speed-decrease control circuit'is to be operative,brush 20, plate 10, conductor 29, conductor 30, solenoid 14, conductor31, key 1, conductor 32, conductor 33, conductor 34, conductor 26,switch blade 27 to power conductor 2, thus energizing solenoid 14-whenkey 4 is closed. Solenoid 14 will attract its end of plunger 15 and drawthe movable brushes toward the right. If

,thekey is held down a sufficient length of time, the brushes willbedrawn to the right to the lifnit of their possible motion, therebyinterrupting the circuit just described be- 5 tween 9 and 19 and alsobetween 10 and 20 and at the same time interrupting the motor circuitand stopping the-motor 1.

The stop control circuit -is as from power. conductor 2 throughswitchblade 23, conductor 24, conductor 28, plate 9, brush 19, brustPQO, plate10, conductor 29, conductor 35', bridging brush of unenergized follows:

solenoid'switch 8, conductor 36, key 5, conductor 37, solenoid 'ofswitch7, conductor 34,

I the continuance of the cuit the solenoid 8 holds open the whichcurrent noid switch 7 -38, br ging stopping and switch blade'27 to powerThis is the quick-stop control It is normally a closed circuit in flowscontinuously and soleis continuously energized. The operation of key 5breaks the circuit of energizing solenoid 7 which drops its switchingbrushes to its lower pair of contacts and its upper pair thus breaks themain circuit of the motor 1, thus stopping the motor conductor 26,conductor 2'. circuit.

quickly, at the same time closing an auxiliary stopping circuitcomprising elements 2, 23, 24, 2s, 9, 19, 20, 10, 29, 30,14, solenoid ofs, 3 brush of 7, 33, 3-1, 26, 27, 2'. This auxiliary stopping circuitenergizes l solenoids 14 and 8. Solenoid 8 by lifting its bridging brushinterrupts the quick-stop control circuit and holds it interrupted solong as the auxiliary stopping circuit remains closed. The solenoid 14:draws the movable brushes to the right and as they reach the limit oftheir motion, the auxiliary circuit is interrupted between 9 and 19, andalso between 10 and 20. During auxiliary stopping circircuit containingsolenoid 7, thus the solenoid 7 can not be energized until after thecomplete return to normal of the brush therefore the motor l can not be.started; except when brush holder 16 is in its normal position. i Theoperation ot starting the motor 1 is as follows: On closing the key 3solenoid 13 is energized as has been described. Brush holder lo is movedto the left amt closes by its brushes l9 and 10, the control circuitsfor decreasing the speed or for stopping the motor. It also closrs byits brushes 17 and 18 a path between the lirstplate of series 11 and thefirst plate of series 12. circuits closed by brushes 1%) and 20 extendfrom power wire. 2 through-23, 2st, 28, 9, 19, 2O, 10, 2.) to thejunction of conductors 30 and 35 and then pass in multiple through 30,it, solenoid of 8, 3R. brush of T, 33, to 34, 26, 27, 2. and also inmultiple through 35', brush of 8, so, 5, 237, solenoid of 7 to l 34, 26,27 Upon the closing of this double circuit current tlows throughsolenoid of 7 fed through brush of 8 and also through I solenoid of 8fed through brush of 7. These devices are so constructed mechanicallyand i electrically that device 7 responds and interl rupts the circuitof device 8 and atthe same time closes the main motor circuit whichextends as follows: from 2 through switch blade :23, conductor 39, allof resistance 21 to first plate. of series ll, brush 1.7, brush 1%,first plate of series 12, all of resistances conductor Ll, motor 1,conductor ing brush and upper contacts of solenoid switch 7, conductor10. and switch blade 27 to,-po\\'cr culnlllct'm t2. 'lhis turns motor 1l at its lo\\ speed lwcuuscof the inclusion in l holder in and- Thecontrol l t l driving it rapidly.

l l t t 42, bridgthe motor 57 is increased,

series with it of all of the resistances 21 and 22. As the controlswitch 3 is held down continuously, or as it is closed at intervals, thesolenoid 13 draws its end of plunger 15 into the solenoid, moving thebrush holder 16 at intervals toward the left and. cuttin out bysuccessive steps the resistances 21 an 22, thus increasin the speed ofthemotor 1 until when the limit of travel of the brush holder 16 isreached all series resistance has been removed from the path of motor 1.No other circuit changes are effected by the movementof the currentcontrolling device. The plunger 15 is horizontal and remains inert, inany position when none of its control circuits are being controlled bythe respective keys 3, 4 or .1. The method of decreasing the speed andstopping the motor 62 have been described above.

The keys 3, 4 and 5 may be controlled manually or in any way suitable tothe conditions. For instance, where the motor 1 operates a pump to keepa water tank'supplied, a low-level float valve may control key 3 and ahigh level float valve may control key t or 7-. \Yhere an air pressureis to be maintained, keys 3 and 4 or 5 are replaced bypressurecontrolled electrical contactmaking devices.

The arrangement of brushes upon the brush holder 16 and the arrangementof contacts for the brushes and the circuits controlled thereby willvary with the different installations in which my improved currentcontroller is used. A modification is shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 showsacondition adapted particularly for printing presses where, in some ofthe processes of making a press ready for service, an extremely slowmovement of the press is desired and a comparatively fast movement isrequired after the press is ready for printing. This has beenaccomplished in some instances by the use of two motors.-a small motoroperating through speed reducing gears to turn the press' very slowly,and a. larger motor for In the system of Fig. 2 the control circuits andthe method of controlling the movement of the brush holder 16' are thesame as in.Fig. 1. When the first contact plates of series 11' and 12'are engaged, no circuit' is closed through 11 and a circuit through 12is closed through elements 2, 23, 39. 50, both of resistances 52,brushes 53, and 54, contactplate con- .ductor 56, motor 57, conductor58, conductor 59, upper contacts and brush of solenoid switch 7',conductor 40', switch blade 27', power conductor 2'. is sta ted at itsslowest speed while the large motor 60 is not, started at all. At thesecond of the series of contact pieces the speed of and the motor 60 isstarted through circuit containing elements '27, 2. At the next stepwith the brushes control switch 4, the engagement of brush.

53 with contact piece 12 will start the small motor, and the next twosteps will increase the speed of the small motor, preparingthe smallmotor to take the load of the ress when the lar'ge motor stops orbecomes inefficient in operation at a very low speed. In like manner thecontacts of brushes controlled by the plunger 15 may be modified to carefor alternating currents of two phase or three phase varieties.

When alternating currents are used for the motor, it is desirablesometimes to operate the control circuits by direct currents; In anyinstance control circuit conductors 24 and 26 are carried to the sourceof controlling current, and power conductors 29 and are carried to thesource of 'power current. In Fig. 1 these two pairs of conductors areshown carried to thesame source, namely the power mains 2 and 2, but itis I obvious that they may be carried to difl'erent sources whendesired. By thismeans, the vc ontrolling circuits may be operated. bydirect currents and an alternating current may be controlled thereby.

- In Fig. 3 is shown a detail which has first the. function of centeringthe brushes of the brush holder 16 or of preventing the brushes fromoccupying an arcing position upon the contact plates 11 and 12, andsecond thefunction of opposing the movement of the pluii' ers and brushholders as they approach t eir left-hand position. The

spring carrier 65 is attached to brush holder 16 and carries wheel 66which travels upon track 67. By reason of the notches in the track 67the wheel 66 causes theflbrush holder, when not under the influence ofthe -'solenoids, to take and hold a suitable position with reference tothe contact plates. As the plunger 15 passes into the solenoid 13 themagnetic attraction is increased. This is m-part compensated for by theangle taken by thetrack 67 at the left, so that too rapid .a movement.of the plunger is not permitted.

A modifica'tionis shown 'in Fig. 4. In this figure the right hand end ofthe solenoid 14 is shown labeled 14"- and within it is the right handend of the plunger labeled 15". Plunger 15 is provided with theinsulating stud 70 which presses a ainst ppriwg' '11 holding it out ofengagemen withspring 72 when the plunger 15 -is in its extreme righthand position. This constitutes an oft-normal switch opened when theplunger 15" is in. its normal or extreme righthand position and closedunder any otl er position ofthat plunger. -It will be seen that itsfunction is the same as that performed by the parts 9, 19, 20 andlO'which in themselves constitute an ofi'-no rmal switch, and

by connecting the spring 72 andiil to conductors 28 and 29 of F ig. 1,the contact plates 9 and 10 and the brushes 19 and 20 may be omitted.

By closing the back end of each of the solenoids, a dash pot is formedfor the plungers, preventing too rapid a motion of the brushes over thecontact plates. The core working into the solenoids lies horizontally,

hcncehas no tendency to move in either direction when neither solenoidis energized. When thesize of the core is large, and its weight,therefore, is great, friction-reducing means may be desirable such asrollers or lubricated bearing surfaces, the provision of whichlicswithin the skill of any workman. The core should be of magneticconstruction, suitablefor the conditions of service. A solid core ofiron is suitable for direct signal currents, buta laminated core or acore of a bundle of wires, or even a helix maybe required when thecontrol currents are alternating. lVhile the solenoid type ofconstruction is illustrated herein and seems desirable, a modified typemay be constructed .using elcctromagnets of other forms.

It is immaterial in mounting the device represented by Fig. 1, whetherthe solenoids be above or below the base or mounted sidewise as upon awall. I prefer to mount the contact-making device of Fig. 1 upon thetop, side or bottom of a resistance housing containing the resistances2i and 22, the device thus mounted being independent of the housing andbeing wired to the resistances.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact device here shown, thisdevice being'merely a typical one embodying my invention, and

many modifications being possible.

' .llhat I claim as new and desire to secure by United States LettersPatent is:

1. In a current controlling device, an electric switch having a movablepart. solenoids for moving said movable part into and out of its normalpositions; an auxiliary switch;

anda control circuit including one of said solenoids and said auxiliaryswitch, said included solenoid being adapted to restore said movableswitch part to its normal position, and said auxiliary switchbcingndapted to open said control circuit when said movable switch partis in its normal position. substantially as described.

2. In a current controlling device, an eleciric switch having a movablepart, solenoids for moving said movable part into and out of its normalpositions, a plurolity of corn trol circuitswfor directly controllingthe operating of said moving part, an auxiliary switch and acontrolcircuit including one of said solenoids and saidauxiliary switch,

sa-id included solenoid being adapted to restore said moving switch partto its normal condition, and said auxiliary switch being adapted toopensaid control circuit when said moving switch part is in its normalposition, and means for gradually retarding said movable part as saidmovable part passes into one of said solenoids for the purpose hereindescribed.

Signed by me at Chicago, county of Cook 15 and State of Illinois, in-thepresence of two witnesses.

' ALLAN J. CLINE.

lVitnesses: I I

- DAVID S. Homnsn,

HARRIET L. SMITH.--

